diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index a4dca2bce3f..ec037962ea1 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -3045,6 +3045,17 @@ int k_work_cancel(struct k_work *work);
  */
 bool k_work_cancel_sync(struct k_work *work, struct k_work_sync *sync);
 
+/** @brief Initialize a work queue structure.
+ *
+ * This must be invoked before starting a work queue structure for the first time.
+ * It need not be invoked again on the same work queue structure.
+ *
+ * @funcprops \isr_ok
+ *
+ * @param queue the queue structure to be initialized.
+ */
+void k_work_queue_init(struct k_work_q *queue);
+
 /** @brief Initialize a work queue.
  *
  * This configures the work queue thread and starts it running.  The function
diff --git a/kernel/work.c b/kernel/work.c
index d3f34db8501..6682b97a07e 100644
--- a/kernel/work.c
+++ b/kernel/work.c
@@ -676,6 +676,17 @@ static void work_queue_main(void *workq_ptr, void *p2, void *p3)
 	}
 }
 
+void k_work_queue_init(struct k_work_q *queue)
+{
+	__ASSERT_NO_MSG(queue != NULL);
+
+	*queue = (struct k_work_q) {
+		.flags = 0,
+	};
+
+	SYS_PORT_TRACING_OBJ_INIT(k_work_queue, queue);
+}
+
 void k_work_queue_start(struct k_work_q *queue,
 			k_thread_stack_t *stack,
 			size_t stack_size,